The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-06-23
POINTS ABOUT TERRAPIN.
Some Facts Presented by DR.. Oemler
for the Consideration OF the Georgia
Legislature .....-... ...-.

Some Facts Presented by DIR. Oemler
for the Consideration OF the Georgia
Legislature ....-.--
WILMINGTON ISLAND, June 20-Editor
Morning NetUs: Being peculiarly favor
ably located to note the rapid decrease of
the number of terrapin in our waters,
have long been impressed with the necessity
of preventing their total extinction BY legal
protection. For somessyears after the war
their heads could be frequently counted by
the dozen above the water during the laying
season. Coming ashore at high tide to de-
post their eggs l have known them to
''crawln under my house. Now terrapin
nest on this island would be about as rare
find as that of the proverbial mare. For
the past four years have not seen terrapin
enough at any one time, in or out of the
water, TO make a stew for a small family
Those you mention as being taken TO market
from Savannah to the value of $4,000 to
$4,000 are not captured in Georgia, but in
South Carolina; it no longer pays the fisher
men to draw their seines in Georgia waters,
as practically they are here already extinct.
Southern teITapin counts" as full grown
females measuring six inches on the lower
shell, are sometimes when in good con-
dition worth from 50 to SIS per dozen,
Delaware terrapin reaching as high as $50.
OF course the enormous outrage against
political economy, in the senseless destruc-
ton of so valuable an animal, and the in
cidental decrease of food supply, will be tho
chief consideration with our legislators, but
there is another crying shame in connection
with the unreasonable capture you mention.
The terrapin is an aquatic animal and when
housed, or penned, during spring or summer
when great many die, out Of their natural
elements, who can tell the amount of agony
they endure Your humane and sympathetic
readers may form an idea when ] state that
calling upon one of the fish dealers during
the winter session of the Legislature to ask
his approval of bill | had drawn land
afterwards sent to the Superintendent of
Fisheries) he informed me he had only the
day before made a purchase Of many dozen
terrapin from which he had to wash the
maggots before he could ship them.
Flies had deposited their eggs on sores
caused by sand getting into the recesses of
the shell into which the animal withdraws
its legs. The wife of one of the fishermen
told me when rats get into pen the first
part attacked are the eyes, she having been
an eyewitness to tine fact.
Permit me to say, you are not quite just
TO the general Intelligence of the dealers.
With a single exception, have yet to meet
the individual, pecuniarily interested in ter
rapin, be he dealer or fisherman, who docs
not cordially approve the bill have drawn.
But even if fishermen and dealers were less
wise and wanted TO kill the goose that lays
the golden eggs, l should still contend it to
be the duty of our legislators to protect the
future interest of the public by preserving
so valuable an animal and to abate so cry
ing shame TO humanity.
About fortnight ago the Superintendent
of Fisheries paid me visit here, when he
renewed his promise TO exert all the iDfu-
ence he could bring to bear for the passage
of the bill
AS soon as Ilearn Of Capt. Gordon's re-
turn from New York | will visit the city
for the purpose of bringing about, il posi-
bic, a conference between parties interested
and our delegation to the Legislature.
A. OEMLER.